Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-11-05
HE SAND BAH STREAM


Omaha Bee, 3D.: The Bee of q few
days ago mentioned the return from his
lonely trip Klong tae Niobrara and Mis-
sour of Lieutenant Kennon, alde-de-
camp to General Crook. He had beer
gone about fifteen days, a short time
comparatively speaking, bat sufficiently
tong to ali ord him experience enough as
b voyagear to last him perhaps q lite-
time.
The lieutenant left Fort Niobrara with
Captain Bay, Judge advocate of this de-
partment. em%barkipg in a light boat
about twelve feet long with the intent
of riding by water to this city. This
Was about the time the FIRST cold DAYS of
the season were experienced. There wac
little water in the Niobrara and q great
deal of sand bar. The boat became
quite intimate with the latter after it
had been but q short time on the Jour
ney, necessitating the voyageurs to Jump
out into the remnants of the stream and
pull the sklff along until water
could be found to float IN
During the first day between hoat.
ing and rowing and pulling. and pushing
the travellers made about eight miles.
Considering the nature OF their work
they were pleased with the
they made and we're coafident that they
would reach Omaha in lime to make
their New Years calls. They retired to
rest that evening with the hearty feeling
that these had earned their elnmbers
though by no means greateful for the
VISITING their padding In the stream had
ocoasIoned. The next day their exper-
ience was almost q duplicate OF tbs first,
slightly varied by meeting O miil-dam,
which tested their appreciation of q
portage which necossitated q packing on
their shoulders of their boats, proyis-
ious clothing, tentlng outfit, fireplace
and kitchen stove until they were again
able to reach the river below tho dam.
More exposure in the water together
with the severe cold, Frustrated Captain
Ray, and for two days, in the untroddep
solitude, Oh the banks of a fickleminded
stream, they camped aud the iatter was
at length enabled to return to Fort
Niobrara. Lieutenant Kennon, how
ever. continued on his journey,
Rain succeeded the cold snap at
night and cold succeeded the
rain fall in the morning. But the nsyi-
gator was kept comparatively warm lug
ging his boat and outfit to the interm7t-
tent spoons Of water which dotted she
channel. His method of progression
with his over-water Nautilus was, sitter
the manner of q carpet salesman using
q yard stick, and az q consequence, the
lieutenant ID now able to tell the die
tance between this and Nlobrara to the
fraction OF q foot. He toiled along in
this way, day after day, until one morn
ing when he awoke, his boat was about
one'hundred yards on the bank. The
stream he'd taken . notion to play q joke
the gentleman, and left him and his
boat high and dry while 1t scarnpered off
to the ether side to have a run in the
sun. This unpleassntness had to be
overcome by pulling the boat to the
water, but che had scarcely started out
when she struck q. snag, ovsrturning
her, throwing everything. even her cap
tain int the water, and then starting off
herself like mad. She was ovsrtaken,
however, by the lieutenant after he had
secured his provisions and outfit on q
sand bar; but imagine his surprise az he
returned with the craft to re load to
zee the quieksands Of the stream had
conceived q relish for his bacon, butter |
coffee and biscuit and was devour- !
ing them with the relish OF q famished |
Piute. Some mornings the skiff would I
be frozen to the river and this nsces-
STATED cutting out, nm exercise in which |
Ksnnon INDUCED ten times |
Al length he reached the Missouri, some
parts of which he found covered with
geese. He also discovered ducks, some
swans and a few pelieans. He passed
the Ponca and Santee agencies, gallant
~ saluting some of the dnsky Mononas
who waved their cologne scented
kershiefs as he glided by their ancestral
acres. Later he found o couple OF
aborlgines, who held up their boat by a
ssndbar, and TO them the lieutenant ten
defed his hearty sympathy in their
native tongue. While on the
be made about sixty miles
. day, forty OF which he attributes
to his W rowing, which has
given him al arm as hard as iron. When |
he reached Sioux City he went to O hotel
to receive some letters and dispatches, |
and when he was escorted to his room |
the bell boy bade him good night and |
admonishsd him carefully to not blow |
out the gas, an ,admonitlon which the |
in which the lieutenant appeared
at the time rendered highly necessary. |
The trip comprised about four hundred
miles. 1t was one Of hardship and en-
DURANGO, though Lieutsnant Kennon
SCENE to have survived il with much
physical advantage and agreat deal of
q feature of which ia that !
his recommendation will be to the effect
that the Niebrara will not do as a stream
transport troops or provision in any
emergency.
ARE YOUMADE miserable nv Indires.